DAMPING FORCE VARIABLE VALVE ASSEMBLY AND DAMPING FORCE VARIABLE SHOCK ABSORBER INCLUDING THE SAME

Abstract

Disclosed is a damping force variable valve assembly including: an integrated soft valve port having one end connected to a shock absorber, a connection passage with a working fluid flowing therethrough from the shock absorber, and a valve disk provided at a bottom surface of the integrated soft valve port to be in close contact therewith; a valve housing having a hollow cylindrical shape, and having an inner circumferential surface of a front end coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the integrated soft valve port; and a main valve part disposed underneath the integrated soft valve port in the valve housing.

Claims

1. A damping force variable valve assembly comprising: an integrated soft valve port having one end connected to a shock absorber, a connection passage with a working fluid flowing therethrough from the shock absorber, and a valve disk provided at a bottom surface of the integrated soft valve port to be in close contact therewith; a valve housing having a hollow cylindrical shape, and having an inner circumferential surface of a front end coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the integrated soft valve port; and a main valve part disposed underneath the integrated soft valve port in the valve housing.

2. The damping force variable valve assembly of claim 1, wherein a fitting hole is formed at a center of the integrated soft valve port to pass therethrough, and a valve mount for fixing the valve disk is fitted into the fitting hole.

3. The damping force variable valve assembly of claim 2, wherein the valve disk is provided in the form of a plurality of disks stacked.

4. The damping force variable valve assembly of claim 3, wherein the valve disk is coupled to the bottom surface of the integrated soft valve port while the connection passage is in a normally closed state.

5. The damping force variable valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the connection passage is formed in plural.

6. The damping force variable valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the integrated soft valve port comprises: a main body formed in a disk shape of a predetermined thickness, having a fitting hole formed at a center of the main body to pass therethrough and allowing a valve mount for fixing the valve disk to be fitted therein, and a connection passage formed outside the fitting hole; and a sub body having a predetermined thickness, extending horizontally along a circumference of a lower end of the main body, and having a protrusion formed in a bottom surface of the sub body so as to come into contact with an upper surface of the valve disk.

7. The damping force variable valve assembly of claim 6, wherein the sub body comprises: a first sub body extending horizontally along the circumference of the lower end of the main body and protruding downward along a bottom surface rim; and a second sub body extending downward along a bottom surface rim of the first sub body.

8. The damping force variable valve assembly of claim 7, wherein a bottom surface of the main body and a bottom surface of the first sub body are located on a same plane,

9. The damping force variable valve assembly of claim 7, wherein the valve disk is located in a mounting groove formed between an inner circumferential surface of the second sub body and a bottom surface of the main body and the first sub body.

10. The damping force variable valve assembly of claim 7, wherein a support part is formed in an outer circumferential surface of the second sub body to protrude horizontally at a predetermined interval along a circumferential direction.

11. The damping force variable valve assembly of claim 10, wherein the support part is provided as three support parts and disposed at an interval of 120 along the circumferential direction.

12. The damping force variable valve assembly of claim 11, wherein an outer circumferential surface of the support part contacts an inner circumferential surface of the valve housing and a bottom surface of the support part contacts an upper surface of the main valve part, so that the integrated soft valve port maintains a stable state within the valve housing.

13. The damping force variable valve assembly of claim 6, wherein the connection passage formed in the main body is formed in plural outside the fitting hole along the circumferential direction.

14. The damping force variable valve assembly of claim 6, wherein the valve mount is provided in a rivet or pin form.

15. A damping force variable valve assembly comprising: an integrated soft valve port having one end connected to a shock absorber, a valve disk provided at a bottom surface of the integrated soft valve and provided as a plurality of disks stacked, a fitting hole into which a valve mount for fixing the valve disk is fitted, and a plurality of connection passages formed a circumferential direction outside the fitting hole so that a working fluid is introduced from the shock absorber; a valve housing having a hollow cylindrical shape, and having an inner circumferential surface of a front end coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the integrated soft valve port; and a main valve part disposed underneath the integrated soft valve port in the valve housing.

16. The damping force variable valve assembly of claim 15, wherein the valve disk is coupled to a bottom surface of the integrated soft valve port while the connection passage is in a normally closed state.

17. A damping force variable valve assembly of claim 15, wherein the integrated soft valve port comprises: a main body formed in a disk shape of a predetermined thickness, having a fitting hole formed at a center of the main body to pass therethrough and allowing a valve mount for fixing the valve disk to be fitted thereinto, and having a connection passage formed outside the fitting hole; and a sub body having a predetermined thickness, extending horizontally along a circumference of a lower end of the main body, and having a protrusion formed in a bottom surface of the sub body so as to come into contact with an upper surface of the valve disk.

18. The damping force variable valve assembly of claim 17, wherein the sub body comprises: a first sub body extending horizontally along the circumference of the lower end of the main body and protruding downward along a bottom surface rim; and a second sub body extending downward along a bottom surface rim of the first sub body.

19. The damping force variable valve assembly of claim 18, wherein: a bottom surface of the main body and a bottom surface of the first sub body are located on a same plane, the valve disk is located in a mounting groove formed between an inner circumferential surface of the second sub body and a bottom surface of the main body and the first sub body.

20. A damping force variable shock absorber comprising a damping force variable valve assembly, wherein the damping force variable valve assembly comprises: an integrated soft valve port having one end connected to the shock absorber, a connection passage formed in the integrated soft valve to allow a working fluid to flow from the shock absorber, and a valve disk provided at a bottom surface of the integrated soft valve port to be in close contact therewith a valve housing having a hollow cylindrical shape, and having an inner circumferential surface of a front end coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the integrated soft valve port; and a main valve part disposed underneath the integrated soft valve port in the valve housing, wherein the integrated soft valve port comprises: a main body formed in a disk shape of a predetermined thickness, having a fitting hole formed at a center of the main body to pass therethrough and allowing a valve mount for fixing the valve disk to be fitted therein, and a connection passage formed outside the fitting hole; and a sub body having a predetermined thickness, extending horizontally along a circumference of a lower end of the main body, and having a protrusion formed in a bottom surface of the sub body so as to come into contact with an upper surface of the valve disk.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0085] FIG. 1 is a view showing a damping force variable shock absorber according to a related art.

[0086] FIG. 2 is a view showing a structure of a damping force variable valve assembly employed in the damping force variable shock absorber of FIG. 1.

[0087] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a port and a soft valve in FIG. 2.

[0088] FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which a valve mount is removed in FIG. 3.

[0089] FIG. 5 is a view showing a damping force variable shock absorber according to the present disclosure.

[0090] FIG. 6 is a view showing a structure of a damping force variable valve assembly employed in the damping force variable shock absorber of FIG. 5.

[0091] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of an integrated soft valve port in FIG. 6.

[0092] FIG. 8 is a view showing a state in which a valve mount is removed from FIG. 7.

[0093] FIG. 9 is a view showing a state in which a valve disk is removed from the integrated soft valve port of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0094] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a damping force variable valve assembly and a damping force variable shock absorber including the same according to the present disclosure will be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings. For reference, the terms and words used in the present disclosure and claims of the present disclosure should not be construed as limited to a lexical meaning, and should be understood as appropriate notions by the inventor based on the fact that he/she is able to define terms to describe his/her disclosure in the best way to be seen by others. In addition, embodiments and drawings described in the present disclosure are simply the most preferred embodiment and do not represent all the technical spirits of the present disclosure, and it will be understood that various modifications and equivalents may be made to take the place of the embodiments at the time of filing the present application.

[0095] FIG. 5 is a view showing a damping force variable shock absorber according to the present disclosure.

[0096] A damping force variable shock absorber according to the present disclosure includes a cylinder 10 having an outer cylinder 11 and an inner cylinder 12, a piston rod 13, a piston valve 14, a reservoir chamber 15, a separator tube 16, and a damping force variable valve assembly 200.

[0097] The damping force variable valve assembly 200 is installed at the outside of the outer cylinder 11, and the inner cylinder 12 is installed inside the outer cylinder 11 at a predetermined interval.

[0098] In addition, the reservoir chamber 15 is formed between the outer cylinder 11 and the inner cylinder 12 to form a low pressure chamber PL and a high pressure chamber PH.

[0099] With one end coupled to the piston valve 14 located inside the inner cylinder 12, the piston rod 13 reciprocates in compression and rebound stroke directions.

[0100] In a state in which the piston valve 14 is coupled to one end of the piston rod 13, the inner cylinder 12 is divided into a compression chamber 12a and a rebound chamber 12b in a longitudinal direction, and while the piston rod 13 reciprocates in the compression and rebound stroke directions, a damping force is generated due to resistance of a fluid.

[0101] The reservoir chamber 15 is provided in a space between the outer cylinder 11 and the inner cylinder 12.

[0102] The separator tube 16 is provided between the outer cylinder 11 and the inner cylinder 12, specifically, on an outer surface of the inner cylinder 12 to form the high pressure chamber PH on the inside and the low pressure chamber LH on the outside.

[0103] That is, the separator tube 16 divides the inside of the reservoir chamber 15 into the low pressure chamber PL and the high pressure chamber PH.

[0104] A body valve 17 is installed at a bottom of the inner cylinder 12 and controls a flow of a working fluid between the reservoir chamber 15 and the compression chamber 12a to generate a damping force.

[0105] Meanwhile, the high pressure chamber PH is connected to the rebound chamber 12b through an inner hole 12c provided in the inner cylinder 12, and the low pressure chamber PL is connected to the compression chamber 12a through a lower passage formed between the body valve 17 and the outer cylinder 11 and a passage (not shown) formed in the body valve 17.

[0106] FIG. 6 is a view showing a structure of a damping force variable valve assembly employed in the damping force variable shock absorber of FIG. 5.

[0107] The damping force variable valve assembly 200 according to the present disclosure may include an integrated soft valve port 210, a valve housing 220, a main valve part 230, and a solenoid part 240.

[0108] One end of the integrated soft valve port 210 is connected to the shock absorber, a connection passage 211b passes through the integrated soft valve port 210 so that a working fluid flows from the shock absorber, and the valve disk 217 is provided at a bottom surface of the integrated soft valve port 210 in close contact therewith.

[0109] A fitting hole 211a may be formed at a center of the integrated soft valve port 210 to pass therethrough, and a valve mount 219 in the form of a rivet or pin to fix the valve disk 217 may be fitted into the fitting hole 211a.

[0110] In addition, the valve disk 217 may be coupled to the bottom surface of the integrated soft valve port 210 while the connection passage 211b formed in the integrated soft valve port 210 is in a normally closed state.

[0111] In addition, the connection passage 211b of the integrated soft valve port 210 may be formed in plural.

[0112] The valve housing 220 has a hollow cylindrical shape, and an inner circumferential surface of the front end of the valve housing 220 is coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the integrated soft valve port 210.

[0113] The main valve part 230 is disposed underneath the integrated soft valve port 210 in the valve housing 220.

[0114] The integrated soft valve port 210 of the damping force variable valve assembly 200 according to the present disclosure is a port in which the port and the soft valve part in the conventional variable damping valve assembly are integrated, thereby facilitating assembling of the valve assembly 200 and reducing an overall size of the valve assembly 200.

[0115] In the damping force variable valve assembly 200 according to the present disclosure, except for the integrated soft valve port 210, the remaining components such as the valve housing 220, the main valve part 230, and the solenoid part 240 are the same as those in the related art, and thus, a description thereof will be herein omitted.

[0116] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the integrated soft valve port of FIG. 6, FIG. 8 is a view showing a state in which the valve mount is removed from FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 is a view showing a state in which a valve disk is removed from the soft valve port of FIG. 8.

[0117] The integrated soft valve port 210 may include a main body 211, a sub body 213, a support part 215, a valve disk 217, and a valve mount 219.

[0118] The main body 211 is formed in a disk shape of a predetermined thickness, a fitting hole 211a into which a valve mount 219 in the form of a pin or a rivet to fix the valve disk 217 is fitted is formed at the center of the main body 211 to pass therethrough, and a connection passage 211b is formed outside the fitting hole 211a.

[0119] In this case, a plurality of connection passages 211b formed in the main body 211 may be provided outside the fitting hole 211a along a circumferential direction.

[0120] The sub body 213 has a predetermined thickness and extends horizontally along a circumference of a lower end of the main body 211, and a protrusion 213b is formed in a bottom surface of the sub body 213 to come into contact with an upper surface of the valve disk 217.

[0121] The sub body 213 may include a first sub body 213a extending horizontally along a circumference of a lower end of the main body 211 and having a protrusion part 213b protruding downward along a bottom surface rim; and a second sub body 213c extending downward along a bottom surface rim of the first sub body 213a.

[0122] In this case, it is preferable that the bottom surface of the main body 211 and the bottom surface of the first sub body 213a are located on the same plane.

[0123] In addition, in a mounting groove 213d formed between an inner circumferential surface of the second sub body 213c and the bottom surface of the main body 211 and the first sub body 213a, a plurality of valve disks 217 each in the form of a plates may be located in a stacked state.

[0124] In addition, a support part 215 may be formed in an outer circumferential surface of the second sub body 213c to protrude horizontally at a predetermined interval along a circumferential direction.

[0125] It is preferable that the support part 215 is provided as three support parts and disposed at an interval of 120 along the circumferential direction.

[0126] In this case, an outer circumferential surface of a support part 215 is in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the valve housing 220 and a bottom surface of the support part 215 is in contact with an upper surface of the main valve part 230, so that the integrated soft valve port 210 maintains a stable state within the valve housing 220.

[0127] As the minimum number of support parts 215 is provided as described above, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs including mold costs while maintaining durability.

[0128] The valve disk 217 may be provided in the form of a plurality of plate-shaped disks stacked.

[0129] A through-hole (not shown) is formed at the center of the valve disk 217, so that a valve mount 219 formed of a pin or rivet can be fitted into the through-hole.

[0130] The valve mount 219 may be fitted into the fitting hole 211a formed in the main body 211 and the through hole (not shown) formed in the valve disk 217.

[0131] As described above, the present disclosure provides an integrated soft valve port 210 in which a conventional port and a conventional soft valve part are integrated, and thus, it is possible to facilitate assembling of the valve assembly 200 and reduce the overall size of the valve assembly 200.

[0132] Thus, it is possible to cope with the automobile industry's demand for simplification of not only a suspension but also a structure of a steering and driving system and for reduction in size of a damper to improve ride comfort and adjustment stability and secure an interior space.

[0133] The present disclosure described above is not limited to the embodiments and accompanying drawings, and within the scope of the technical concept of the present disclosure, various substitutions, modifications, and alterations are possible for those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

TABLE-US-00001 [Detailed Description of Main Elements] 10: cylinder 15: reservoir chamber 11: outer cylinder 16: separator tube 12: inner cylinder 17: body valve 13: piston rod 200: damping force variable valve assembly 14: piston valve 210: integrated soft valve port 211: main body 219: valve mount 213: sub body 220: valve housing 215: support part 230: main valve part 217: valve disk 240: solenoid part